Nonstop flight route between Saint Petersburg, Russia and Shemya, Alaska, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Rzhevka Airport (RVH), Saint Petersburg, Russia and Eareckson Air Station (SYA), Shemya, Alaska, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,392 miles (or 7,068 kilometers).

A Great Circle is the shortest distance between 2 points on a sphere. Because most world maps are flat (but the Earth is round), the route of the shortest distance between 2 points on the Earth will often appear curved when viewed on a flat map, especially for long distances. If you were to simply draw a straight line on a flat map and measure a very long distance, it would likely be much further than if you were to lay a string between those two points on a globe. Because of the large distance between Rzhevka Airport and Eareckson Air Station, the route shown on this map most likely appears curved because of this reason.

Try it at home! Get a globe and tightly lay a string between Rzhevka Airport and Eareckson Air Station. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Rzhevka Airport (RVH):

• Because of Rzhevka Airport's relatively low elevation of 62 feet, planes can take off or land at Rzhevka Airport at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
• Rzhevka Airport (RVH) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Rzhevka Airport (RVH) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 10,852 miles (17,465 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• The closest airport to Rzhevka Airport (RVH) is Pulkovo Airport (LED), which is located only 17 miles (27 kilometers) SW of RVH.
• In addition to being known as "Rzhevka Airport", another name for RVH is "Аэропорт Ржевка".

Facts about Eareckson Air Station (SYA):

• Eareckson Air Station (SYA) currently has only 1 runway.
• With the exception of a small station housekeeping unit, Shemya was abandoned after the war.
• The base host squadron was re-designated the 5073rd Air Base Squadron on October 1962, and upgraded to a group on 15 October 1974 in recognition of the number and complexities of the tenant units it supported.
• Because of Eareckson Air Station's relatively low elevation of 97 feet, planes can take off or land at Eareckson Air Station at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
• The Korean War brought extensive use by the Military Air Transport Service for the logistical support of Korea and Japan.
• On 28 May 1943, a small detachment of Alaskan Scouts began reconnaissance of Shemya, a small, flat, uninhabited island 35 miles to the east of Attu.
• The spring of 1944 brought improving weather and the B-24s and PV-1s to fly more missions over the Kuriles.
• The furthest airport from Eareckson Air Station (SYA) is Cape Town International Airport (CPT), which is located 10,668 miles (17,168 kilometers) away in Cape Town, South Africa.
• The closest airport to Eareckson Air Station (SYA) is Casco Cove Coast Guard Station (ATU), which is located 40 miles (65 kilometers) WNW of SYA.
• In addition to being known as "Eareckson Air Station", other names for SYA include "Shemya Air Force Base", "Shemya Army Airfield" and "  ".